ONE of the first half-way-houses for ex-service personnel facing life on the streets is to be opened in North Yorkshire - just a few miles from the Army's biggest UK garrison.

Research last year showed as many as one in four of Britain's homeless people have a military background, with hundreds of former soldiers struggling to make ends meet when returning to Civvie Street.

In response, the Ministry of Defence forged links with the Church to combat the problem and the then Defence Minister, Geoff Hoon, visited Catterick Garrison in November to announce the launch of The Single Persons Accommodation Centre for Ex-services (Space).

Within weeks, English Churches Housing had submitted an application to convert the old Chapel Gallery, in Richmond's Ryder's Wynd, into 13 bedsits - and Richmondshire District Council's planning committee was being urged to give the project approval.

However, a vote in December was in favour of talks with the town's administration, which subsequently objected.

Richmond Town Council was worried the closure of the Chapel Gallery would mean the loss of retail space in a town which recently committed itself to a greater diversity of shops.

Its views were largely dismissed when the district council met again on Tuesday evening.

It was argued the building was closing as a gallery as it had already proved an unsuitable location for a retail business.

The new bedsits therefore seem certain to go ahead, although a photographic record will be made of the 150-year-old former chapel before contractors arrive to start the conversion work.

Councillor Pat Middlemiss said that with as many as 600 people leaving the Infantry Training Centre in Catterick every year, there was a need for single people's accommodation in the area.

She also said that those moving in would bring more income for the local economy.

Coun James Kendall said the Victorians who built the chapel in 1850, would probably be content to know it was to be used for a Christian purpose by the church housing association